A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a dispensing package that includes a dispensing closure that is non-removably and non-rotatably mounted on a container, and to provide a closure and a container for such a package. The term “non-removable” means that the closure is intended not to be removed from the container during normal use and cannot be readily removed from the container without the use of extraordinary force or tools.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A dispensing package in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a container having a neck finish with an axis, a non-circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to the axis, and at least one circumferentially extending external engagement element. A closure has a wall received over the container neck finish. The wall has a non-circular cross section corresponding to the non-circular cross section of the neck finish and at least one internal circumferentially extending engagement element in engagement with the external engagement element on the neck finish. The internal circumferentially extending engagement element and/or the external circumferentially extending engagement element has a shallow lead-in angle to enable press-fit of the closure onto the container neck finish and a steep back angle to retard removal of the closure from the neck finish. Rotation of the closure on the neck finish is prevented by the non-circular cross sections of the neck finish and the closure wall.
The closure preferably includes a non-circular plug seal wall received within the container neck finish, and at least one pair of engagement elements on the wall and the neck finish are disposed radially outwardly from the plug-seal wall. The plug seal wall preferably not only functions to seal the closure against the container neck finish, but also to prevent inward compression of the container neck finish in the event that it is attempted to remove the closure from the container neck finish. The at least one engagement element having the shallow lead-in angle and the steep back angle preferably is disposed on the container neck finish, and preferably comprises a plurality of axially spaced external engagement elements on the container neck finish. The at least one internal engagement element on the closure wall preferably comprises a corresponding plurality of axially spaced rounded engagement elements. The engagement elements preferably are circumferentially continuous. In the preferred embodiment of the disclosure, the shallow lead-in angle is about 40° to the axis of the container neck finish and the steep back angle is about 75° to such axis. The closure preferably is a one-piece integrally molded closure having a lid hinged to a base, and a child-resistant latch between the hinge and the base.